Story: Rivers

Fishing for kahawai

Fishing for kahawai

Men fish for kahawai at the mouth of the Rangitāiki River in the Bay of Plenty. Shoals of kahawai migrate annually from the sea to river mouths in the Bay of Plenty and the East Coast, and have always been an important food for Māori. Since commercial fishers began targeting kahawai in the 1980s, stocks have been seriously depleted. Recently recreational fishing representatives, including Māori groups, have spoken out against excessive commercial fishing of kahawai.

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Andrew Whyte Photography

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How to cite this page:

David Young, 'Rivers - Māori and rivers', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/14691/fishing-for-kahawai (accessed 17 May 2024)

Story by David Young, published 24 Sep 2007